Tales of a Long Suffering Sensei
by Voiceofsummer
Summary: The trials and tribulations of being Uzumaki Kushina's Sensei. Series of One-Shots.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello to any new readers and to those who've read my stuff before nice to see you again :) This will be a series of one-shots about Kushina and Sakumo, that can be read either separately or as a prequel of some kind to my other story _Chasing a Legend_. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Tales of a Long Suffering Sensei**

_**1. A New Career**_

Rumours were utterly bizarre things that Sakumo had never managed to get his head around. As someone who had become a living legend by the age of eighteen, gossips and strange tales about his adventures followed him wherever he went.

If the rumours were true then Sakumo had killed an entire platoon of Kiri ninja by the time he was ten, at thirteen had saved a town in Snow Country from a strange mythical beast and had also slaughtered a warlord in the south of Fire Country. Apparently he had also killed a group of assassins with only a gardening trowel. Fast career climbing hadn't helped things either. After holding the title as ANBU Captain at seventeen, things had started to blow hideously out of proportion.

That was the problem with being modest. The more you toned down your achievements, the more gossiping villagers would twist them. If you wouldn't boast about your adventures, there would always be a friend who would. Jiraiya loved nothing more than to stand on tables in pubs and re-enact Sakumo's exploits, just to embarrass his friend.

So as Sakumo stood outside the Hokage's office, he couldn't help but think that a teaching post would be a welcome break. He needed a change of pace. ANBU had… Changed him.

Sakumo shuddered slightly and blotted the sound of screaming from his mind. He ran a tired hand down his face and rubbed the comforting fabric of his mask against his chin. When was the last time he had managed to have a dreamless night?

Sakumo shook his head, knowing it was best not to dwell on such things. He pulled out a crumpled letter from his flak jacket pocket and began to re-read the letter he had received that morning:

_12__th__ July 756_

_Dear Hatake Sakumo,_

_It is of my greatest pleasure to inform you that after careful selection, you have been chosen for the post as jonin instructor._

_Teaching is one of the most highly rewarding careers and you will have the responsibility as a role model for future generations.* As a jonin instructor you will provide your genin team with inspiration, insight and wisdom as an experienced ninja. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to not only help a younger generation grow but it is also greatly beneficial for personal development.*_

_On the __15__th__ July__ you are invited to attend a meeting at __5pm__ in the Hokage's Office, in which you will be briefed in detail on the lifestyle of as a sensei and you will be given the profiles of your students.*_

_Congratulations on your new career!_

_Yours sincerely,_

_Sarutobi Hiruzen, Third Hokage_

_*= Please note that jonin instructors hold sole responsibility for their team at all times. This means that you __**will**__ be held responsible for any injury, mental trauma or death that may occur._

_*= Those who do not wish to be jonin instructors must file their cases to the medical corps immediately and must be prepared to undergo extensive physical and psychological evaluation._

_*= This meeting is __**MANDATORY.**__ Those who do not attend must answer to the Hokage. Decisions of genin teams are __**final**__ and no negotiations will be held._

Finishing the letter, he folded and slipped it back into his pocket with a rueful smile. Then again, it wasn't like he had a choice about being a genin instructor. Mind you, with any luck, Sakumo's team would fail and he would be able to return to the sedate jonin lifestyle he had been having for the past year.

Suddenly the door of the Hokage's office was flung open.

"You seem awfully cheery," Sakumo observed as Jiraiya bounded out.

"My team is definitely a cert for a passing," Jiraiya grinned as he waved his new students' files in front of Sakumo's face.

It didn't particularly surprise Sakumo that Jiraiya had been given a team that was guaranteed to pass. After all, Jiraiya was the Hokage's student.

Jiraiya flipped open one file and read, "Namikaze Minato. One of his academy instructors called him a 'once in a generation genius'."

Jiraiya then showed Sakumo a photo of a boy who was so sweet looking that he could be mistaken for a girl. "Could probably do with some manning up though by the looks of things," Jiraiya admitted as he flipped the file shut.

Sakumo chuckled and said, "I hope you don't taint him."

"Sakumo, Sakumo. Is that what you really think of me?" Jiraiya held a hand to his heart in mock injury.

"That you're a pervert who would taint a ten year old boy?" Sakumo raised an eyebrow. "Then yes, that's what I think of you."

"And this is why you don't have a girlfriend," Jiraiya snorted. "Because you're a horrible, cynical bastard."

"That I am," Sakumo nodded as Jiraiya laughed.

It wasn't like Sakumo couldn't get a girlfriend. He was, after all, the White Fang. He had women literally throwing themselves at him so he could pick up one anytime he liked. When he talked to anyone of the opposite sex they would always dissolve into a pile of giggling gloop. In fact there were only two women his age that he could talk to. One was Tsunade but then she had her boyfriend Dan who she had been dating since the age of sixteen. The other… Well let's just say she still held Sakumo with the same haughty disdain that she had given him on the first day of academy.

"Anyway I'm off to observe my new students," Jiraiya said. "Usual place at the usual time?"

"Sure," Sakumo nodded. No doubt when they met at their favourite pub, The Dancing Leaf, Jiraiya would launch into a fantastically embellished tale about his new students. Not that Sakumo minded. Jiraiya did tell the best stories even if most of the time they were hideously exaggerated.

With a jaunty wave Jiraiya strode off and Sakumo headed into the Hokage's office.

"Ah Sakumo," the Third smiled as he shuffled some papers.

"Hokage-sama," Sakumo nodded.

"Are you looking forward to your career as a teacher?" The Hokage asked and amusement flashed in his eyes.

It would be a lie to say yes but anything was better than ANBU. So Sakumo decided to remain silent.

"The year that has just graduated is one of the most talented we have ever had," the Third continued. "At least four teams should make it, which is why I want the very best teaching this year."

"I see," was all Sakumo could say. Just because he was very good at killing people, it didn't necessarily mean that he would be a good sensei.

"There are some very… Precocious children in the year," the Third said. "We have the latest Ino-Shika-Cho team. The Hyuga twins, perhaps the most talented children the Hyuga clan have ever had. The heirs of the Aburame and Inuzuka clans… Oh and of course, Namikaze Minato."

"The once in a generation genius?" Sakumo said.

"I would say once every five generations," the Third laughed. "I'm afraid to say that the boy has achieved the best academy score since… Well since academy has been set up."

"Huh," Sakumo, who had been the current record holder, raised an eyebrow.

"But here are your students' files," the Hokage said, indicating three files in front of him. Sakumo couldn't help but notice that one was extremely bulky.

"Sit," the Third commanded and Sakumo pulled up a chair.

Sakumo's interest piqued as he glanced at the files. Who were his students? It would be interesting if he were the sensei of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio or even tutoring the tracking team. Tracking was, after all, his speciality.

"Joji," the Third handed Sakumo the first file.

Sakumo flipped it open to see the photo of a rather plain looking boy, with an instantly forgettable face.

"Extraordinary marksmanship and good taijutsu skills," Sakumo read. "Rather timid attitude…"

"His academy instructors have said that he has potential to be a talented weapons expert," the Third nodded. "So that would be right up your street."

Sakumo gave a modest shrug and looked on with interest as the Third handed him the next file. As soon as Sakumo opened the file he recognised the child to be a Hyuga.

"Hyuga Hizashi," the Hokage said. "The younger of the Hyuga twins who is of equal skill to his brother. He is also the heir of the branch house."

Immediately alarm bells went of in Sakumo's head. To have fate like that and to spend your time watching your brother have a better life… It must be torture.

"He's a troubled young man," the Third admitted. "However as you were a child prodigy once I'm hoping that you will be able to relate to him."

"Right…" Sakumo said, feeling incredibly sceptical. How could he honestly relate to someone who was destined to serve their twin? Sakumo didn't even _have_ any siblings.

Finally the Hokage lifted up the largest file and gave it to Sakumo. "This child," he sighed. "She's… She will be your most difficult student by far."

_And Hyuga Hizashi won't be? _Sakumo thought incredulously. _What kind of issues does this kid have?_

Sakumo opened the file to see a girl with a tangled mane of crimson hair and the biggest scowl he had ever seen.

"Uzumaki Kushina," the Third nodded and Sakumo could feel the Hokage carefully watching him.

Uzumaki… Sakumo gripped the file. This girl must be one of the Whirlpool refugees that had sought shelter after the destruction of Uzushigakure.

"I felt that due to your… Experience and… Nature, that you be the person to help Kushina," the Hokage said. "She's a wonderful girl who will no doubt be a talented kunoichi. However at the moment she just needs the right guidance and someone who can understand what she's had to go through."

"I understand," Sakumo nodded. Inwardly he sighed. Just when he had been hoping to find an escape from his ANBU days, he now had to teach a living reminder of them.

"I know that I can trust you for this job, Sakumo," the Third told him. "It is vital that you guide Kushina in the right direction."

Sakumo raised an eyebrow. "What's so important about this girl?" He asked.

The Third sighed and gave Kushina's file a remorseful glance. Finally the Hokage cleared his throat and said, "Uzumaki Kushina is the jinchuriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox."

* * *

If there was one thing that Kushina liked to do, it was to spit. There was something fascinating about a large globule of saliva fall from a great height. Three points if you hit someone's shoulder. Five points if you managed to hit a head. Thirty points if you were lucky enough to get a member of the Uchiha police force. One hundred points if you by some miracle hit the Hokage.

Yet… It had turned into something more than just a game. Kushina would find herself teetering on the very edge of tall buildings: arms flung outwards, with her hair streaming backwards as a bloodied tattered reminder of Whirlpool. With practised ease she would spit in one smooth arc and hit her target with expert precision. As soon as she hit her target Kushina would always let out a bark of defiant laughter and run before anyone could catch her.

"Oi Uzumaki!" A voice shouted. "Where's your forehead protector?"

Kushina attempted not to let the jeering suck her back into reality. As she sat on the academy swing, Kushina simply decided to scowl very hard at her dirt stained toes.

"She didn't graduate that's why," someone else snickered.

"Who blames them?" Another sneered. "They shouldn't let foreigners like her in."

Kushina's head snapped up. Immediately the group of boys backed away slightly. Despite the fact they outnumbered her, she still had the reputation of being the Red Hot-Blooded Habanero. If there was one important lesson the academy students had learnt, it was never to underestimate Uzumaki Kushina.

"Our grades our double hers," one boy jeered. "We shouldn't be scared of scum like her."

"Go back to Whirlpool… Oh wait you can't, it's gone," another began to guffaw at his own joke and the group collapsed into laughter.

Kushina's hands began to shake and she stood up, allowing her shaggy mane of hair to shroud her face.

"Whirlpool isn't gone," Kushina snarled. "It isn't!"

"Yeah it is!" Another boy yelled back. "Idiot! Your village doesn't _exist_ anymore."

"Good riddance," someone muttered.

Instantly, the miniscule thread of patience inside Kushina snapped. With a battle cry, she launched herself at the gang.

For the boys it was all too much. The image of the swirling red hair, feral eyes and a face contorted with hatred, instilled terror into them.

Worst of all, Kushina was a dirty fighter. Her punches were vicious and she knew exactly which part of the anatomy to hit with her kicks. In a matter of minutes the boys scrambled away, leaving Kushina in a wake of dust.

Kushina spat victoriously at the ground, her chest heaving and her cheek slightly swollen. No one insulted Whirlpool. No one. She didn't care about the statistics people spewed out or the horror stories about the war.

Whirlpool _had_ to exist… If it were gone then where would Kushina call home?

"I _hate_ them," Kushina whispered vehemently as she fought the tidal wave of emotion that threatened to break out. "I _hate_ Konoha. I _hate_ the Hokage. I _hate_ them all."

Suddenly a movement caught her eye and she whirled around to see the class genius, Namikaze Minato move out from behind the tree.

If there was one person Kushina hated more than anyone else in this village, it was Minato. The boy was the definition of perfection. Flawless grades, unimaginable taijutsu and weapon work. To make matters work Minato was sickeningly popular. _Everyone_ wanted to be Minato's friend. Girls simpered over his supposedly good looks. Kushina supposed it was something to do with Konoha girls' tastes in boys because as far as she could see the guy looked even girly than her.

However, this wasn't why Kushina hated Minato. No, it was because the boy was disgustingly kind. The boy always offered to carry old ladies shopping or help the teachers carry any work. He always smiled at Kushina and was the only person who tried to talk to her

Kushina knew that a person like that was too good to be true. The truth was that Namikaze Minato was a fake. He was a suck-up and whenever he tried to help her with her work, Kushina had only found it downright patronising. Why would someone like him talk to her other than to get extra kudos with helping the poor, stupid foreigner?

"What?" Kushina snarled at him as Minato took a step towards her. "What're you looking at?"

Minato faltered and he just stared at her, his blue eyes full of sadness. That was the worst part. It was the fact that Minato was downright weird. He constantly stared at her and despite being kind to her; he would never stop the bullying. All he would ever do was watch and stare.

"You find it funny don't you?" Kushina was beginning to get hysterical now. "You think it's hilarious to watch the Whirlpooler get bullied, don't you?"

Minato opened his mouth then closed it again. The emotion that had built up after receiving her exam results exploded. Fury caused Kushina's limbs to shake and her eyes began to water from the sheer tiredness she felt.

Everything was so unfair. Why did she have to graduate? Kushina had done her best to sabotage her exams so she would fail. She didn't _want_ to be a Kunoichi of Konoha. She was already a genin of Whirlpool.

Kushina was so desperate to go home that the very thought of the beautiful isle caused her throat to tighten.

It was bad enough graduating but she also had to watch her fellow academy students be greeted by their parents. Watching mothers hug their children and fathers grin with pride caused Kushina to retch. She couldn't recall the last time someone had been proud of her. Kushina most definitely couldn't remember the last time someone had shown her a sign of affection.

With a scream she launched her self at Minato. Minato didn't even blink. He simply stood and stared at her with those bottomless eyes of his. Those blue irises… They were so calming, so understanding that Kushina found herself slowing down until she eventually stopped with her fist centimetres away from Minato's nose.

Neither moved as both children stared at each other. Finally Kushina lowered her arm. Minato offered her a slow, tentative smile.

Instantly, Kushina's hackles were raised. That one shred of humanity; she couldn't take it. If she accepted Minato's kindness… Then her entire defences would shatter.

Kushina spat and watched the well-aimed globule of saliva dribble down Minato's cheek.

"Uzumaki!" A voice roared. One of the academy senseis stormed over. "Just because you scraped yourself to graduation doesn't mean bullying is acceptable."

Thoroughly used to being blamed as the bully and never the victim, Kushina scowled, "I'm a graduated genin now. You don't have any right to tell me off now."

"As a chunin I do and I will," the man grabbed her roughly by the collar, giving her a vigorous shake as if she were a disobedient pet. "Don't get big headed. Minato here has achieved the best grade in history, you'll never be at his level."

Kushina batted the chunin's hand away. "I. Don't. Care," She snarled and stalked away.

Kushina pushed past parents, furiously rubbing her eyes. All around her she heard buzzing whispers.

"That's the Uzumaki girl."

"Complete animal, did you hear what she did to a group of girls last Tuesday?"

"Probably didn't graduate."

"Did you see what she was doing to Namikaze Minato? Poor boy…"

"The boy is a once in a generation genius."

"Best academy score ever! He even beat the White Fang!"

Kushina didn't know who the White Fang was, nor did she care. Instead she let out a furious shriek causing scandalised parents to move out of the way as she raced out of the academy playground.

What she hadn't noticed was the mysterious figure sitting high up in a tree that had witnessed the entire scene. Nor had she seen the concerned, watchful gaze of the Hokage. But perhaps the most vital thing Kushina had missed was that she hadn't been the only orphan who had graduated.

Namikaze Minato had stood alone at his own graduation; parentless, with an aching, fake smile plastered on his face.

* * *

"I'm going to die," Ten-year-old Joji moaned with his head in his hands. "I'm in a team with one of the Hyuga twins and Habanero. I am so going to die."

Kushina gave Joji a disgusted look and continued to vandalise the desk she as sitting at with a kunai. It was just her luck to be stuck with the class wimp Joji and one of the stuck up Hyuga twins.

She glanced at Hizashi who was sitting in front of her in the classroom and gave the back of his head a scowl.

Team 6. Like she ever wanted to be a _team_. As far as Kushina was concerned, she was better off alone.

The graduated genin sat in their classroom, eagerly awaiting the arrival of their new instructors. There was an excited buzz in the air so contagious that even Kushina glanced up from her desk to watch some of the instructors walk in to pick up their new teams.

"No way!" She suddenly heard the idiot Inoichi from a few rows away yell. "That isn't _him_… Is it?"

"Definitely is," Choza nodded.

"Wow… I can't believe I'm seeing him in person," Kushina heard Joji whisper in an awed tone.

Thoroughly infuriated and wondering who could possibly be that _wonderful_, Kushina glanced over to see two men stroll into the room.

Both had irrepressibly spikey silver hair, however that was where the similarities ended. The first was tall, with a large jovial grin plastered on his face. The second however looked plain weird with a mask obscuring his face.

"Team 4!" Their academy instructor called. "Your sensei is Jiraiya!"

"That's one of the Hokage's pupils," Shikaku muttered. "I heard he's a complete perv… Poor Namikaze."

Kushina's eyes swerved onto Minato who had joined the jovial looking man. Jiraiya flashed Minato a wide smile and ruffled his hair.

"I wonder who the White Fang is teaching?" Choza murmured.

The White Fang? Kushina stared at the man with narrowed eyes.

"Who's the White Fang?" She suddenly voiced. Immediately most of the class spun around in their seats with incredulous faces.

"You haven't heard of the White Fang, Habanero?" Inoichi snickered causing Kushina to glower at him.

"So?" She snorted defensively.

"Idiot," Hizashi sighed.

Just as Kushina was about to leap up and challenge Hizashi to a duel to the death, Shikaku explained, "That man there is the White Fang, a living legend. Top candidate for the Hokage too."

"I heard he took on a fortress with just a dagger," Someone chipped in.

"No it was a pair of chopsticks!" Another person interjected.

Kushina rolled her eyes. And people called her a moron.

"Team 6!" The academy sensei called. "Your sensei is Hatake Sakumo!"

"No way," Inoichi moaned as Kushina dragged herself up. "Habanero gets to be taught by the White Fang?"

"It's not like I _want_ to be," Kushina snarled under her breath causing the poor boy to flinch. She stomped down the steps, trailing behind Joji and Hizashi who were already next to the supposed living legend.

Her new sensei turned and looked down at her, his eyes crinkling into a smile. Kushina was not impressed. The smile just caused her to huff and scowl even more.

With a silent jerk of his head, the White Fang led his new team out of the classroom and into the academy playground.

Joji was in absolute terror. He was constantly glancing from Hizashi to Kushina, then giving an awe struck look at the back of the White Fang's head. Kushina had already decided that the boy was pathetic.

Hizashi was even worse. He just ignored his new teammates and instead stared at the White Fang with curious, pale eyes.

Kushina absolutely refused to get sucked into hero-worshipping this weird looking man, especially since he was a hero of Konoha. Instead she chose to ignore her new sensei's existence.

For almost half an hour they walked in agonising silence. They were right on the outskirts of the village now. Trees surrounded them, so thick that the leaves transformed daylight into a strange filtered glow. The trunks were battle scarred. Hundreds of slashes marred the wood yet the shafts of sunlight gave the scars a mysterious beauty.

Kushina found herself enchanted as she stared at the dust that appeared to sparkle as it drifted from the canopy. So many colours were in the dust. She found herself reaching up to catch a handful, only to find it slip through her fingers. Somehow, in Kushina's mind, if she could catch the stardust then she would be able to return to Whirlpool.

They emerged from the trees into a mossy clearing. Right in the middle was a training scarecrow. Its clothes were askew and it's mouth sewn into a hideous twisted smile. Immediately, Kushina found herself loathing that scarecrow. There was something about it that caused her shudder and reach for her kunai.

"Sit," the White Fang commanded.

The students reluctantly sat down and Sakumo leant against the scarecrow as if it were an old friend.

"Tell me about yourselves," he said. "Joji, you go first."

Joji gulped, terrified that the White Fang actually knew his name. Slowly, he mumbled, "My name is Joji… Um…"

"Likes, dislikes, aspirations, dreams," Sakumo prompted, giving him an encouraging nod.

"Um… I like sesame dumplings… I don't really have many dislikes… Oh and my dream is to open up the best weapons shop in town," he finished lamely.

Sakumo nodded then said, "Hizashi?"

Hizashi sighed and replied in a monotone voice, "My name is Hyuga Hizashi. I have no likes nor do I have any dislikes. My only purpose is to serve the Head Hyuga House."

Sakumo stared at Hizashi for a very long time, then his gaze fell upon Kushina.

Kushina immediately avoided eye contact with him and said, "You already know my name and so do the other two so there's no point in saying it. What do I like? Nothing. I _hate_ everything. My only dream is to become the first female Hokage."

Her reply had been designed to infuriate Sakumo. Yet it appeared to do the exact opposite. Instead of scoffing or giving a snide comment, Sakumo's eyes simply crinkled into a smile.

"I wish you good luck then," he told her as both Joji and Hizashi stared at him incredulously.

"Well I guess I better introduce myself," Sakumo said. "My name is Hatake Sakumo. I like reading and training with my summons. I hate cold weather… My dream? My dream is to be a farmer."

"You can't be serious," Hizashi muttered as Joji had a look of the utmost disappointment. The White Fang… Wanted to be a farmer?

Kushina on other hand found herself snorting with laughter.

"Now we have the introductions over and done with," Sakumo said over Kushina's cackling. "We are going to move onto the test."

Immediately, Kushina stopped laughing.

"Test?" Joji asked, his voice going three octaves higher. "I thought we already graduated?"

"It's a preliminary test," Hizashi shrugged. "Most people don't actually get to be ninjas you know… Only about three teams pass a year."

"Exactly," Sakumo nodded.

A wriggling feeling of excitement began to twist in Kushina's stomach. She had another chance. Another chance at failing. If she failed this test then she could escape from Konoha.

"Your test is…" Sakumo paused for a moment as the genin trembled. "To last ten minutes against my friend Kakashi."

Kushina's eyebrows shot up. He wanted them to go against another jonin? The man was insane.

Without another word, Sakumo gave them a grin and a jaunty wave then promptly body flickered away.

"H-he's crazy right?" Joji said as they jumped to their feet. "He can't seriously want us to go against a jonin? Right?"

"I've heard that the jonin instructors set very difficult challenges," Hizashi murmured. They stared around the clearing.

The veins around Hizashi's eyes bulged as he activated his bloodline limit and he gazed around.

"See anything?" Joji asked.

"Wait," Hizashi muttered. "The scarecrow… I can see some chakra… It has a chakra system?"

Suddenly, a flurry shruiken flew towards them and the genin barely dodged them as they backed away.

"Kakashi, he literally meant 'Kakashi'," Joji said incredulously.

In slow, jerking motions the scarecrow leapt down from the post. Straw seeped from its limbs, it's arms flailed wildly around. With creeping horror Team 6 watched as the scarecrow tilted its head to one side, it's mouth widening into a twisted, comical grin.

Before the genin could even comprehend what was happening, the scarecrow attacked. In one clear leap it tore straight towards the genin. Kushina and Hizashi dove out the way but Joji was frozen. Never before had the ten year old envisioned combat to be like this. Academy hadn't taught him to counter-act fear. He found that his limbs were glued. All he could do was watch in horror as the scarecrow raced towards him.

"Move you idiot!" Hizashi shouted. But it was too late. Fear held Joji in a vice as his body trembled.

Suddenly a shriek wrought the air that would have curdled in the hardiest jonin's blood. A crimson streak shot past Hizashi as Uzumaki Kushina launched herself at the scarecrow with a kunai in hand. Kushina had transformed into a feral animal as she stabbed, punched, kicked and even bit the scarecrow's back. The scarecrow flicked her off as if she were nothing more than a fly.

"Rule number one," it gave Joji a sadistic grin. "Fear is a friend, not a foe. Never let it control you." It drew a kunai from the folds of its clothes and in one spinning movement it knocked Joji unconscious with the butt of the weapon.

"Bastard," Kushina snarled and she jabbed a finger at the scarecrow. "Bastard!"

Never in her life had Kushina been this furious. Who did this White Fang think he is? It was pure insanity to give them a challenge like this. Did he want them to fail? The more Kushina thought about it the angrier she became. The White Fang's presumption that they would fail the task caused Kushina's hands to shake with pure rage. Knocking Joji out had been the last straw. The guy was pathetic but he had never bullied Kushina. It had been sadistically cruel to take advantage of his fear like that.

Kushina's rage had become so great that she stopped thinking. Instead, raw instinct took control. Raising her hands up, Kushina clapped her hands into a series of seals then cupped her palms; the air before her twisted and started swirl in a spiral. The scarecrow faltered, tilting its head in mild interest.

"No way…" She heard Hizashi breathe. "Is that? A whirlpool?"

The water spun faster and faster until Kushina grinned, "This is how we do it in Whirlpool. Secret Whirlpool arts: Water style: Ocean's torrent!"

The mass of water tore towards the scarecrow instantly obliterating it in seconds. Straw and a fine mist of rain showered down on Kushina and Hizashi.

"Ha!" Kushina yelled. "Ha!"

"Rule number two," a soft voice said in Kushina's ear, causing her to freeze. "Never let your guard down."

Kushina's arms were suddenly ruthlessly snapped to her side. Eyes dilated, Kushina stared down in shock to see ninja wrapped around her torso. With a careless shove, the scarecrow toppled Kushina and she slammed into the ground.

"H-how?" Kushina gasped. She rolled to her side to see a pile of logs. Painful realisation hit her. A replacement. The scarecrow must have used the replacement technique before her attack.

The scarecrow stalked past her and all Kushina could do was helplessly spit at it's feet.

Hizashi swept himself into the Hyuga fighting stance, palms raised. He circled the scarecrow, byakugan twitching as he studied his opponent. The scarecrow smirked at him and without warning attacked.

Hizashi swayed to the side, avoiding the blow and in one clean movement he slammed his palm upwards. His hand connected with the scarecrow's shoulder causing the creature to explode into a puff of smoke.

"A shadow clone?" Hizashi murmured. "Or was the technique dispelled?"

Wasting no time to think further, he leapt forwards to free Kushina. Habanero had her uses and he knew that if the scarecrow was still out there then it made sense to fight it together.

Just as Hizashi was a metre away from Kushina, something latched onto his ankles. Before he could even comprehend what had just happened Hizashi was sucked into the ground until only his head was visible.

"Rule number three," the grating voice of the scarecrow floated above Kushina and Hizashi. "Never rely on your bloodline limit. Even the byakugan cannot see what is underneath the underneath."

The scarecrow vanished, leaving Kushina and Hizashi with the cold sinking realisation. They had failed.

* * *

"Three minutes," Sakumo said. He decided to leave the genin to stew for a good half an hour before he had emerged from his hiding place to free Kushina and Hizashi. "Three minutes you lasted against Kakashi."

Kushina, Hizashi and an extremely groggy Joji sat shame facedly as the White Fang paced up and down.

"Well," Sakumo sighed rather dramatically. "I'm afraid… To say… That you've passed!"

The genin stared at him stupidly. Joji stopped shaking and even Hizashi appeared bemused.

"There is definitely room for a improvement… _A lot_ of improvement," Sakumo added. He turned to Joji.

"Joji," he said. "Most ninja are overcome by fear in their first combat. Never, ever let it control you. Fear… It's a cowardly friend. In small doses the adrenaline aids you in battle. Too much and it cripples you. Learn to master it and build you confidence by training."

Joji nodded vigorously, utterly embarrassed that he had been incapacitated within less than a minute of the test.

"Kushina," Sakumo turned to the wild little red head. "What you did was incredibly brave but incredibly stupid. To run blindly like that in the field would be suicide. Put thought into your actions and never go for the obvious attack."

Kushina huffed and all Sakumo could do was hope that some it had sunk into that thick skull of hers. To say the Uzumaki girl had issues was an understatement.

She had broken every academy rule and even had a criminal record. The girl was guilty of vandalism, truancy, bullying, harassment, disturbing the peace. Every one Sakumo could believe, apart from the bullying. After observing the girl for the day he knew that the girl was so isolated that she was withering before his very eyes. No one, it seemed, had noticed. How could you not lash out when your home had been destroyed? Most of the violence Kushina committed appeared to be out of self-defence.

"Hizashi," Sakumo said finally. "The byakugan is indeed a very powerful weapon, however it cannot be relied upon too much. A true genius is one who uses their mind, training as well as natural gifts. Remember that."

"I… I still don't understand why we passed," Joji frowned.

Sakumo rubbed his masked chin thoughtfully. He knew that most of the ninja population on the entire continent would disagree with him, however after seeing so much death in his life, Sakumo had formed an iron code.

"Being a ninja," Sakumo started slowly. "Is not about following the rules. If you do that then you're just a mindless killing machine. No… What I want to teach you is compassion and empathy. If you want to stay human during a war... Those are the things you need. All of you have already demonstrated that you have some by trying to aid each other during the test, which is what I was looking for."

Sakumo's grey irises crinkled into a smile. Somehow… He found himself wanting to ensure that these children would not make the mistakes he had made when he was younger.

_What's with all the eagerness, eh Sakumo? _He could almost hear Jiraiya laugh. _A grumpy bastard like you actually wanting to teach some brats?_

Sakumo almost laughed. He really was soft hearted, just as his sensei had constantly scolded him for.

"We'll meet here tomorrow at 8am for our first mission," Sakumo told them. They continued to stare at him and he sighed, "That means you're dismissed."

Joji smiled at his teammates and scrabbled away. Hizashi soon followed, giving an imperceptible nod to Sakumo as he slipped away into the trees.

"A word before you leave, Kushina," Sakumo suddenly said as the girl picked herself up.

Kushina gave him a wary look, like an animal assessing an unknown danger. She took a step backwards, distancing herself from him and Sakumo noticed that her leg muscles were taut with tension.

"I know you intended to fail the test," Sakumo said softly and his words caused Kushina's eyes to dilate. "That's why I forced you into action. You did the same for the academy exam, in fact you failed it so spectacularly that the Hokage knew it was sabotage."

"You mean I failed and he still let me graduate anyway?" Kushina said incredulously. A hiss escaped her lips and she spun on her heel.

In a flash Sakumo blocked her path. Kushina turquoise irises swirled with wild hatred, not for him but for what he represented. Sakumo knew as a hero of Konoha he symbolised everything Kushina had been fighting against.

"So when did you decide to give up?" Sakumo asked her innocently.

Kushina froze. Her fists began to shake and she snarled, "I _haven't_ given up."

"Doesn't seem that way to me," Sakumo said casually.

"I haven't given up!" Kushina shrieked, her chest heaving with emotion. "I haven't, I haven't! I want to fail so I can go home!"

"This is your home," Sakumo sighed.

Kushina spat at Sakumo's feet and gave him a venomous look. "This," she said in a dangerous tone. "Is not my home. It never will be. Whirlpool is my home!"

She took a step forwards but Sakumo was too fast. Kneeling down so he was level with Kushina, the White Fang placed a hand on her head and ruffled her hair.

"Of course Whirlpool is your home," he said in a soft voice causing Kushina to choke. "But you have to accept Konoha too. We're your allies, friends. To isolate yourself like this… Well no one can survive this way."

Slowly Sakumo stood up and he smiled, "Prove to us, prove to us what a kunoichi of Whirlpool can do. Surely by acting like this you're bringing shame to your home?"

Delicate shafts of sunlight broke out from the leaves, highlighting a myriad of reds in Kushina's hair. Her eyes stopped darting back and forth, and realisation brought a strange calmness upon her.

"My dream," Kushina suddenly said, causing Sakumo to glance down at her. "My dream isn't to be the first female Hokage… I just said that to annoy you."

"I know," Sakumo nodded.

"My dream is to rebuild Whirlpool, that's my dream," Kushina whispered. She began to walk away and this time Sakumo let her. Suddenly just as she was about to disappear into the trees, Kushina called, "Sensei?"

The new title felt heavy and unfamiliar, the sheer responsibility hitting him in the gut like a tonne of bricks. He turned to see Kushina pointing at him. "I don't care if you're supposed to be some kind of living legend," Kushina scowled. "I'm going to prove to you and everyone snot nosed ninja in this village what I can do."

Beneath his mask Sakumo suppressed a grin. Already he found himself liking the girl, despite the fact that it that appeared she never washed.

"I look forward to it," he told her.

Kushina spun, her hair flashing in the light as she vanished into the trees. As soon as Sakumo felt her chakra fade he yawned and rumpled his hair, causing it to resemble more of a birds nest than ever.

"Sensei," he rolled the word in his mouth experimentally. Position of jonin, he could handle. Ambassador of Kumo? Easy. Captain of an ANBU squad? A piece of cake. Sensei? Now that was a challenge.

Sakumo sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets. With a groan he muttered the one, single problem that had been nagging at him all day. "Sensei? … I am far too young to have that kind of title."

* * *

**A/N: Quick warning, updates will be sporadic for this as CAL will always have fanfic priority. However as this was my first one-shot, let me know what you think ^^ Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

_**II. Conceited Loneliness**_

If there was one thing Hyuga Hizashi hated, it was chaos. Hizashi was a child who loved order. He lined up his pencils neatly on the desk in academy, despised other children who broke the rules and hated creases in his clothes. To a child who was destined to a life of servitude, order was a source of comfort. Life was one simple linear pattern to Hizashi. He would live, serve and die. That was it. Anything that happened along the way was simply an added bonus.

So when Hizashi was put in a team with Uzumaki Kushina of all people, that perfect order had been shattered. Kushina was the very personification of chaos.

She was a fiery whirlwind of disorder. Her hair a tangled mess, clothes ripped and stained, knees adorned with scabs and bruises. Kushina probably hadn't washed in months and her language could make any jonin blush. To top it off the girl had somehow disposed of her forehead protector as it was absent every training session and only ever materialised during missions, much to Sensei's chagrin.

Yet what Hizashi found most irritating of all was her fighting style.

"Hizashi," Sakumo called. "I want you to spar with Kushina today."

Hizashi cast his pale eyes on the White Fang. "I sparred with her last training session," he stated flatly.

"And you'll spar with her again," Sakumo told him. "You two can learn a lot from each other."

"Like what?" Kushina scowled.

"For a start you can learn some finesse from Hizashi," Sakumo sighed. "Taijutsu isn't just about brute force." Before Hizashi could flash a smug look at Kushina, Sakumo continued, "And Hizashi your moves are far too predictable, even for someone who's not familiar with the gentle fist. Training with a creative fighter like Kushina will do you some good."

"What about me Sensei?" Joji asked as he stared at the ground while Kushina glared at Hizashi. "I'm not that great at taijutsu…"

"I want you to watch them," Sakumo told him. "You're a long-distance fighter, Joji. You need to be able to spot your opponents weaknesses on the battlefield."

Joji sat on the edge of the clearing while Sakumo leant against a tree with his hands in his pockets. With a great sigh as if sparring with Hizashi wasn't even worth her time, Kushina hauled herself to the centre of the clearing.

Inwardly grinding his teeth, Hizashi followed her.

"I'll beat you this time," Kushina snarled at him.

"Don't count on it, Uzumaki," Hizashi told her as he slipped into the Hyuga fighting stance.

Kushina let out a guttural growl, something you would never have expected to come from a ten-year-old girl. In one smooth motion she positioned herself into the Whirlpool taijutsu posture, ignoring all of her Konoha academy training. Hizashi couldn't help but wonder whether the White Fang was going to bother correcting her at all but then again, the first time they had sparred the Whirlpool taijutsu had taken him by surprise. After all who knew that Uzumaki Kushina could be _graceful_.

Each country had its own standardised taijutsu style. Konoha's was based on the leaf, of course, combining powerful spinning kicks with razor sharp punches. Kumo's lightning style relied on deadly speed and blinding strikes. Whirlpool's? Academy had never taught Hizashi about Whirlpool's taijutsu style but what he had learnt from Kushina was that it was more of a dance than a fighting style. Like the sea it was beautiful, with fierce and unpredictable attacks that left your head spinning.

Kushina suddenly launched herself at Hizashi with a war cry. Immediately Hizashi spun away, his hair swishing as his byakugan spotted Kushina's weak spots.

That was another thing that was so unsettling about Kushina. It was the sheer amount of chakra she had. The girl somehow had a surplus supply that Hizashi could only dream of.

Suddenly Hizashi slammed his palm upwards aiming a deadly blow towards Kushina's chest. In one fluid movement Kushina swayed, ducking underneath Hizashi's hand as she danced away from her opponent, crimson hair swirling round her in one protective whirlpool.

It appeared Kushina was actually learning since the last time she had kept up an endless barrage of attacks rather than opting for the defensive.

Hizashi spun on his heel aiming a chakra powered punch at Kushina's chest yet all his fist met was thin air. Kushina slipped away from his attack in her liquid dance and swooped upwards to deliver a darting punch.

Hizashi began to duck but sudden realisation hit him a moment too late. Kushina's attack had been a feint and as her fake punch dissolved, his teammate twirled on the spot to slam a kick into Hizashi's chin. The sheer force caused the boy to stumble backwards and all he could do was block another kick from Kushina as the girl surged forwards.

How was it possible for the dropout to be this good? Frustration creased his brow as he rotated his jaw experimentally. Maybe listening to Sensei was a good idea after all. What was it he had said? Be creative?

Hizashi's byakugan bulged as he forced himself to memorise Kushina's movements, relying on the flow of her chakra to help him guess where his teammate would strike next.

Suddenly Hizashi hurled himself at Kushina, aiming a strike at her shoulder. Just as he predicted the girl didn't fall for his feint and she spun on her heel to send powerful roundhouse kick at him. This time Hizashi didn't bother to dodge Kushina's attack, instead he channelled as much chakra as he could into his left palm and blocked the blow.

The sheer force could Hizashi's arm to tremble and Kushina's leg to shake but it was the momentarily surprise written all over Kushina's face that gave him the advantage. With his right hand, Hizashi moved at a blinding speed blocking off Kushina's vital chakra pathways.

Immediately the girl buckled and as Hizashi released her Kushina collapsed to the floor.

"Damn it," Kushina snarled as she struggled to stand. "Damn it!"

"I wouldn't bother trying to get up," Hizashi told her coldly. "You'll only end up on the floor again."

"Shut up!" Kushina yelled as she dragged herself to her feet. "You think I'll become the first female Hokage if I just give up?"

"A foreigner like you would never be allowed to become Hokage," Hizashi responded in a matter of fact tone. "It's against the rules."

Hizashi was one of the few who had never harboured ill feelings towards the Whirlpool refugees. After all Whirlpool had had a long-standing treaty with Konoha that dated back to the time of the First. So it was natural that Konoha would give their allies refuge.

However Hizashi lacked the sensitivity to know that stating the obvious could be seen as a racist comment to Kushina.

"You think I'm not good enough to be Hokage, just because I'm from Whirlpool?" Kushina screamed.

"That not what I said," Hizashi answered. "It says that to fully qualify to be Hokage, you have to have been born a citizen of Konoha."

"I don't give a _fuck_ about qualifications," Kushina spat. "I'm going to prove to you and every other ninja in this place who think they're better than me, that I'm good enough to be Hokage!"

Hizashi was thoroughly irritated by his teammate and utterly baffled by her. Why was she so upset? The rules were the rules.

Kushina suddenly let rip a feral snarl and tore towards him, her fist raised. Hizashi drew himself into a fighting stance, waiting for her attack.

It never came.

"That's enough," a soft, firm voice said.

Hizashi found his wrist to be held in an iron grip as the White Fang appeared in between them. The boy's eyes dilated. How had Sensei moved so fast? Even his byakugan hadn't been able to track Sakumo's movements.

"Let go," Kushina scowled as Sakumo held her by her collar with his other hand.

"Kushina what did we say about your anger management?" Sakumo sighed as Kushina wriggled in the vain attempt to escape.

He then cast a long-suffering look at Hizashi. "Both of you were doing so well," he told them. "Kushina your Whirlpool style was coming along beautifully. Hizashi that was some really good creative thinking there when you used your chakra to stop Kushina's attack."

He let go of his pupils. Hizashi rubbed his wrist while Kushina simply glared at the White Fang.

"Both of your taijutsu is really coming along but you've got to stop turning an every day sparring session into a brawl," Sakumo told them, his eyes gleaming with disappointment. "You're teammates. If you can't work together on the field then your entire team could be killed. Understood?"

The two nodded but it was clear that neither had any intention of getting along. Kushina spat at Hizashi's feet and said, "You may be my teammate but I will _never _be friends with you."

With her crimson hair whirling after her, Kushina stormed away.

In the vague attempt to salvage the situation Sakumo half heartedly called after her, "See you tomorrow! And for god sake wear your forehead protector!"

Hizashi watched her leave with the only thought in his head that his teammate was just plain psychotic.

"Joji, let's call it a day," Sakumo called as Hizashi's other teammate peered out from behind a tree. Joji nodded and he too left the training grounds.

Hizashi turned and said, "Can I leave too, Sensei?"

"In a moment," Sakumo told him. The White Fang then sighed and ran a hand down his masked face. "Hizashi, do you know why Kushina was upset with you?"

Hizashi shook his head.

Sakumo decided to change tact and then asked him, "If someone insulted the Hyuga clan you'd be upset, wouldn't you?"

"Of course," Hizashi nodded. "But what has this got to do with-"

"Because you insulted Whirlpool," Sakumo cut in. Seeing Hizashi's face he then added hastily, "Unintentionally of course."

"Oh…" Hizashi frowned.

"Sometimes the rules aren't always right," Sakumo told him softly. "I've seen people mutilated and hideous things committed just because ninjas were blindly following 'the rules'. Be your own person Hizashi."

"I still don't understand why Uzumaki is so upset," Hizashi said. It was frustrating because Hizashi was thoroughly unused to not understanding things.

"Imagine that Konoha was destroyed," Sakumo said carefully. "You're living in a strange country where the people had weird accents and the food is even stranger. Your family is gone and all you have left is your memory keeping Konoha alive. Saying that Kushina could never become the Hokage is like insulting that memory."

It was terribly complicated but Hizashi's quick mind soon grasped his mistake. Lacking in sensitivity he may be but Hizashi knew what it was like to have so many expectations thrust upon you. Though he hated to admit, Kushina was strangely like him. Except people expected her to fail as a poor foreigner. In a way Hizashi envied his teammate for trying to fight those expectations by proclaiming that she would be Hokage. He had merely given up and had accepted the life as a branch member.

"I see," Hizashi said.

"Best go talk to her," Sakumo's eyes crinkled into a smile. "Though I'd wait a few days for her to cool off…"

With that the White Fang body flickered away, leaving Hizashi with strange and liberating thoughts that he had never had before. Who knew that Habanero could have so much depth? And who would have guessed that there was a possibility of having an identity outside of your clan?

* * *

_Three… Two… One…_

_ Kushina opened her eyes to find herself lying on a beach, the sand gloriously cool beneath her. She curled her hands; the grains digging beneath her fingernails and all she could hear was the soft swoosh of the undulating waves._

_ Slowly Kushina lifted up a hand and she slowly twirled it in the air, allowing shafts of sunlight to dance in and out of her fingers. The sun continued to pulsate in the painfully bright sky. First golden, then a sickly yellow, blinding oranges until it transformed into a bloody crimson ball._

_ "Kushina!" A soft voice called. "Kushina! Where are you?"_

_ Kushina sat up with a confused expression. "Mum?" She yelled._

_ She struggled up and gazed around at the now darkened beach. A diseased moon had replaced the sun, pockmarked and bruised in colour. It hung in a dark bottomless void, so black that even the stars could not shine through._

_ Kushina sprinted across the grey sand until she reached a sandy bank. Somehow it had transformed into a huge hill, so steep that it was barely climbable._

_ "Mum!" Kushina shouted and her voice was swallowed by the darkness._

_ "Kushina," her mother's voice was growing more and more forlorn. "Come home, Kushina."_

_ "I'm coming!" Kushina called and she began to climb the hill. When she reached halfway, Kushina suddenly slipped and the sand clawed at her, tearing the skin from her hands._

_ Tears traced their way down Kushina's cheeks and by the time she reached the top her hands were bloody and raw._

_ "Ah you're here Kushina," a voice suddenly said._

_ Kushina stared around her, realising that she had somehow crawled into her father's office. She struggled her feet, blood from her hands dripping onto the wooden floor. _

_ "Dad?" She said to the figure that had his back to her._

_ "There are some people here who will take you to safety," her father told her and he continued to stare into the fireplace._

_ "People?" Kushina frowned. "Safety?"_

_ Suddenly there was a loud shriek and a kunai broke through a window. Outside Kushina could see Uzushigakure burning. Places she had known all her life were being destroyed before her very eyes and tortured screams filled the air._

_ "Hurry," her father said and not matter how much Kushina willed it, he refused to look at his daughter._

_ "Where's Mum?" Kushina asked him._

_ "She's… She's gone ahead," her father said even though Kushina knew it was a blatant lie. "Now be a brave girl and go with them._

_ A gloved hand grabbed Kushina's shoulder and spun her around. Her eyes dilated with horror as she saw two mutants dressed in Konoha ANBU uniform before her. The first had a snake's head and it hissed angrily as it surveyed Kushina with yellow eyes. The other man had a lion's head, with a lolling tongue and huge fangs that were stained with blood and maw._

_ "Don't make me go," Kushina begged. "Please. Where's Mum?"_

_ But it was too late. The mutants whisked her away from Whirlpool until all Kushina had left was the sound of her mother's screams in her ears._

Kushina woke with a jolt; perspiration staining her brow and her heart beat wildly. She sat up and wiped the sweat away with the back of her hand.

There was so many times where Kushina wanted to collapse into puddle of depression. It didn't matter how many times she cried herself to sleep at night. Her parents were dead. Whirlpool was destroyed. Nothing was ever going to change.

Kushina silently leapt from her bunk in the orphanage dorms and dressed in the only clothes she owned. After brushing her teeth and grabbing her weapons pouch, she slipped out of the dorm.

It was still only six in the morning and on a cold November morning like this the sun still hadn't woken from its sleep. With practiced ease Kushina opened a window and leapt free from the building. Fresh, icy air bit into her limbs and immediately Kushina wished she had something slightly warmer to wear than just a pair of leggings and a tunic.

Yet the chilly temperature was a welcome change to the suffocating air of the dorm. As she climbed up onto the rooftops the height gave Kushina a vague sense of freedom. Her crimson hair suddenly whipped around her: the locks clawing at her eyes and biting her cheeks. In one furious moment Kushina grabbed her hair. She tugged at it, again and again until tears of pain poured from her eyes.

No matter how hard she pulled the strands refused to tear. Uzumaki hair was known for its thickness and durability but Kushina took it as a sign of the gods trying to spite her. Her hair that had been so envied back in Whirlpool had turned into a constant source of misery.

Kushina didn't care about being thought of as a freak for her hair. Those Konoha idiots knew nothing… No what bothered her so much was what her hair reminded of. Every night before bed her mother used to sit and comb those thick locks. It used to take over an hour but Kushina had loved every moment of it. Brushing her hair without her mother had seemed so wrong that Kushina had neglected it. She had let the famous Uzumaki mane grow greasy and tangled to the point where it was matted.

Yet what Kushina hated most about it was the colour. Those crimson tresses were the same colour as the blood that had run through the streets of Uzushigakure. So many nights after the Whirlpool genocide Kushina had woken up screaming thinking that her hair was blood upon her pillow.

As she stood high upon a roof of an apartment building, Kushina gazed at her hair. Then, with slow deliberation, she reached into her weapons pouch and pulled out a kunai.

A feral scream ripped its way from her lips and Kushina began to hack at her hair until all that was left was a jagged bob. Staring at the mound of hair in her hand was like staring at a dead body, causing bile to rise up in Kushina's throat.

She hurled hair from the rooftop and stood for a moment as she watched it float down onto the streets below. Kushina sheathed her kunai and closed her eyes as a fresh breeze caressed her now naked neck. She imagined all the nightmares and terrors floating away with the hair. Each strand contained a terrible memory and the further the breeze carried the hair, the lighter Kushina felt.

Opening her eyes Kushina climbed down from roof and leapt down into an alley. The market stalls were beginning to open up and the tantalising scent of food hit Kushina's nostrils. Although she was a genin now, Kushina was saving up for an apartment of her own. So in the meantime she had to scrape by on the bare minimum.

Hurrying down the main street of Konoha, Kushina spotted a food stall that looked like it would sell cheap food.

"Hi," Kushina peered over the counter. "Could I have a bowl of steamed rice?"

The stall owner turned and scowled at her. "With what?" He asked her. "Egg? Pickles? Vegetables? Fish? Natto?"

Kushina's stomach growled and her mouth began to water from the smell. "Err natto," she decided.

"Sure you got enough money, boy?" He gave her a suspicious.

Kushina bristled and exclaimed, "Course I do! And I'm not a boy!"

"Fooled me," the stall owner muttered and he turned away to prepare her breakfast.

Kushina hopped about as she tried to warm up her cold limbs. Hopefully after when she had breakfast down her she would warm up a little.

"Twenty-six ryo," The man slammed down a carton with her breakfast inside and a pair of chopsticks.

Kushina reached into her pocket and pulled out her coins. Just as she reached over to give the money, the man suddenly retracted his hand at the last second and the coins clattered onto the counter.

"Now get lost," the man told her and he returned to his cooking.

Kushina opened her mouth to shout abuse at but suddenly found that she didn't have the energy. All she could do was walk away.

Though her breakfast was piping hot, the natto tasted bland in Kushina's mouth. Her appetite had vanished and all Kushina could do was force herself to eat. Hurrying along before anyone could bother her, Kushina found a small-secluded yard behind a clothes shop and sat on a dustbin to eat her breakfast. Had the man treated her like that because she was foreign? Or was it because she was just a dirty orphan? Kushina gulped and recalled Hizashi's comment from their training session yesterday.

She shook her head. There was no use dwelling upon it all.

Her father had told her to be brave… Yet Kushina had never thought that it would refer to the abuse that the villagers gave her. Kushina shrugged to herself. It didn't matter. None of it did. The main thing was not to let it show. As long as you kept up a hard façade then it was ok to crumble inside.

A sudden shout broke through Kushina's reverie. With a frown Kushina gulped the last of her breakfast then slid off the bin. Out of pure habit that had been drilled into her when she was younger, Kushina lifted off the lid and threw away her carton.

Another yell punctured the morning air. Kushina crept out of the square and masked her chakra. Peering round the corner she saw three boys surrounding a girl. The four were around the same age as Kushina, perhaps a little older and all of them wore forehead protectors marking them to be Konoha ninja.

"My dad said that your Sensei is a drunk," the first boy sneered at the girl.

"Yeah," his friend laughed. "Is it true that he had to be carried home from a bar yesterday?"

"Someone like that isn't fit to teach," the last boy told her.

"Take that back!" The girl yelled. "You have no idea what you're talking about!"

"My dad reckons he'll get demoted soon," the first boy snickered. "You'll have to get sent back to academy then."

"Takeshi he's your own clan member!" The girl's cheeks had turned pink with anger as she shouted at the first boy. "How can you even say that about him?"

"Because he's a weak man and you're pathetic for even protecting him," Takeshi spat at her. "The Uchiha clan doesn't need weaklings."

Uchiha clan? Kushina scratched her head. Which clan were they? The one with the dogs? No… That was the Inuzuka clan because that freak, Tsume, from her class was in it. Wait wasn't that idiot Inoichi in the Uchiha clan?

Kushina sighed. Maybe she should have listened when that old bat Biwako had tried to teach her about Konoha's clans. Then again that had been when Kushina had first arrived in the village and she had most certainly not been in the mood to learn about clans when her own had just been annihilated.

"Come one lets see if your precious sensei actually taught you anything," Takeshi taunted and the three boys advanced on the girl.

For a moment Kushina stood there, wondering if she should get involved. After all it wasn't her fight and no one had ever helped her. Then the image of Namikaze Minato flashed through her mind.

There was nothing worst than a coward like that who just stood by and watched people get bullied. Kushina may hate Konoha but she'd rather be damned than turn into someone spineless like Minato.

Having learnt about the alien concept of negotiation from Sakumo, Kushina decided to fight the urge to beat the boys to a pulp.

"Hey!" She called as she stepped out from the corner. "Leave her alone!"

Takeshi threw her a withering look and one of his friends laughed at the other girl, "Hey looks like you need some jumped up academy student to help you!"

"I'm a genin," Kushina snarled.

"Oh yeah where's your forehead protector?" The boy sneered.

Kushina sighed, "At home, idiot."

The boy gave a shout and charged at her. Kushina danced away from his punch and spun to land a kick in his gut. The boy doubled over wheezing and to her left Kushina was aware of the girl taking care of Takeshi's other friend.

"Enough!" Takeshi yelled. He glanced at his friends. "Call yourselves members of the Uchiha clan?"

"Sorry, cousin," the groaning boy in front of Kushina muttered.

Takeshi faced both Kushina and the other. Slowly his dark eyes began to swirl until they transformed into a crimson colour.

"What kind of technique is that?" Kushina stared curiously at him.

The girl gave her an incredulous look. "Haven't you heard of the Uchiha clan?" She asked her.

Kushina scratched her head. The name did sound familiar… She then spotted the insignia sewn on Takeshi's sleeve. "Wait!" She snapped her fingers together. "Aren't they the bunch of idiots who run the police force? Man the amount of time I've managed to out run those-"

Her sentence was suddenly cut short as Takeshi launched himself at her. His speed to her by surprise and Kushina was forced back as she parried his blows. It was as if the boy was predicating every move of her Whirlpool style and just as she was about to duck from an attack, his knee suddenly slammed upwards into her nose.

A sickening crack wrought the air and Kushina collapsed her knees as she clutched her streaming nose.

Takeshi bore down on Kushina, his red eyes glowing. Then not a moment too soon, the other girl jumped in, aiming a powerful kick to Takeshi's back.

Before Kushina could stagger to her feet, Takeshi suddenly paled and cried, "Fugaku-san!"

Fugu-what?

Her eyes watering from her stinging nose, Kushina glanced around to see three Uchiha policemen blocking the exit of the alley. All three had dark hair and even darker eyes like the younger boys, however these members of the Uchiha clan were older than the genin: probably around fifteen or sixteen in age.

"These girls were insulting the clan name!" Takeshi pointed at Kushina and the girl.

"So you'd thought you'd teach them a lesson, huh?" The policeman nearest Kushina raised an eyebrow.

Takeshi gave a fervent nod and then directed his gaze at the policeman standing at the centre. "Fugaku-san I was doing it for the good of the clan," he said.

For one horrible moment Kushina thought Fugaku was going to praise the boy. Fugaku observed Takeshi with cold eyes and said softly to one of his colleagues, "Masanori, would you escort Takeshi and his friends to the station?"

Kushina would have laughed if she wasn't in so much pain. Wailing about what his father would do to Fugaku, Takeshi was towed away by Masanori with his friends trailing behind him.

"What about these to?" The remaining policeman asked Fugaku.

"We'll go to the station and collect their statements," Fugaku said. His eyes flicked over to Kushina. "Can you stand?"

Kushina nodded and she struggled to her feet. A sinking feeling that had nothing to do with her broken nose filled the pit of her stomach as they trudged towards the Uchiha police station. When they reached the station Fugaku would probably realise that Kushina was on the police records as Konoha's number one vandal.

Just as they were about to leave the alley a flash of yellow suddenly caught Kushina's eye. She didn't even have to guess what that yellow flash was.

A savage sense of pride filled her. It didn't matter if she had a broken nose or was about to be charged of numerous crimes. At least she wasn't a spineless coward like Namikaze Minato.

Luckily the Uchihas never mentioned any of Kushina's crime when they got to the station, however Kushina's entire morning was wasted there. After giving her statement she had been forced to sit in the waiting room with tissues stuck up her nostrils. Due to the kyubi, Kushina's freaksih healing abilities had ensured that her nose was well on it's way to being healed without out any need for medical attention.

Suddenly the door of the waiting room flung open and the girl who had been the cause of all of this trouble stormed into the waiting room.

"Didn't go well?" Kushina asked her as the girl threw herself opposite her.

"That Fugaku is a complete stuck up, emotionless prat," the girl spat. "I can't believe he won't help Sensei."

"So your sensei is an alcoholic?" Kushina raised an eyebrow.

"That's none of your business," the girl snapped.

Kushina scowled. After all she had done this girl was just throwing it back in her face. "Err I think it is seeing as I stopped you getting beaten to a pulp by those boys," she said.

"I didn't ask you to," the girl snarled.

"Yeah well I didn't ask to move this stupid village but you know what, that's life!" Kushina yelled.

The two glared at each other.

Finally the girl's curiosity won over and she asked, "You moved village?"

"None of your business," Kushina stuck out her bottom lip petulantly.

The glares suddenly eased into smiles and the girl slid off her chair. "I'm Mikoto," She smiled offering a hand. The smile stunned Kushina. It was one without pretences: just a genuine, beautiful smile that warmed her to the core. Never before had someone from Konoha given her a smile like.

Kushina stared at Mikoto's hand in amazement. She had forgotten what it was like to receive a sincere gesture of friendship. For too long she had been fighting against conformity with Konoha. Kushina had assumed that it was better to live a bitter life of loneliness than to search for friendship.

There was a second where Kushina was tempted to slap away Mikoto's hand. She wanted to scream at her, scare her away so Kushina could shroud herself even further in her protective hatred. Yet that smile… Kushina had been starved from human warmth for so long that not even her pride could stop her.

For the first time since she had moved to Konoha, Kushina found a slight smile creeping across her lips. "Uzumaki Kushina," she smiled taking Mikoto's hand. "Please to meet you."

* * *

Ever since becoming a jonin, Sakumo had developed the perfect morning routine. With a 5 AM start he would go for his usual ten mile run around Konoha. Next, after showering, he would saunter out to meet his team for their usual morning training session. After despairing at his students' teamwork and his lack of teaching ability, Team 6 would troop out to the Hokage Office to receive their D-rank missions of the day.

Though Sakumo recalled hating every moment of when he had been forced to take part in D-rankers, as an instructor he took strange pleasure in them. It was nice to see Hizashi and Kushina bond in mutual boredom. Joji was an amiable lad whose confidence was growing in bounds. He took part in every task with enthusiasm and could soothe arguments between his teammates.

Sakumo, who knew that teamwork was the most important thing, never shied away from taking part in the menial tasks. He knew that it was best to savour these times. With their ability, his students wouldn't stay genin forever and soon the Third would send them out on a C-rank mission.

When their missions were finished the team would disperse and Sakumo would go home. He'd practice his sword skills or sometimes work on a technique if he was feeling creative. When he had finished his training, Sakumo would make his dinner. If he had time to spare after that he would summon his ninja dogs or go to the pub with Jiraiya. When the day had finally ended Sakumo would stumble to bed and fall asleep while reading a book.

The security of the routine was such a comforting change from ANBU that over the four months he had had his team the nightmares had vanished.

So when Sakumo had completed his usual morning run that morning, he hadn't expected Uchiha Fugaku to turn up on his doorstep. Nor had he expected the heir of Uchiha clan to inform him that he needed to collect his student from the police station.

"You were involved in a brawl with one of the grandsons of the Uchiha elders?" Sakumo raised an eyebrow as he stared down at his student. It pained him to see Kushina in such a state. Her wonderful hair had been brutally shorn and her nose was broken. Clearly all his attempts at getting Kushina to embrace Konoha had failed. Sakumo had saved so many people as the White Fang, yet his student was drowning before him and he had no idea how to save her.

Kushina scowled. "That idiot started it," she muttered. "He was insulting Mikoto's sensei."

"Fugaku has informed me of everything that occurred," Sakumo sighed. "Takeshi will be suitably punished by his clan and who's Mikoto?"

"Just a girl," Kushina shrugged. "We're going to train together tomorrow."

Sakumo stared at Kushina for a moment and he felt a sudden surge of pride. "You made a friend?" He said, a slow smile spreading across his masked face.

"I wouldn't call her a friend," Kushina said quickly but the smile upon her face betrayed her excitement.

Sakumo grinned, "Hey what's this? Is Uzumaki Kushina smiling?"

"Shut up Sensei!" She huffed but her smile simply grew wider.

As they walked out of the station and down the steps of the buildings Sakumo said, "Well, for what its worth, I'm proud of you for helping another person. Takeshi probably needed bringing down a peg or two anyway."

"Yeah but I lost against him," Kushina cast a disappointed look at the ground.

"The boy is two years older than you, which means he had two years more experience," Sakumo told her. "Anyway from what I heard you put up a pretty good fight and with Mikoto's help you would have beaten him."

"I guess," Kushina shrugged and she kicked a stone sending it shooting ahead of them.

"Come on," Sakumo said as they slowly walked up the path that led them to the central part of Konoha. "I'll treat you to lunch. What do you fancy?"

Kushina suddenly stopped in her tracks and stared at the White Fang. Inwardly Sakumo cursed. Kushina had probably never had been offered lunch by someone in Konoha before. The gesture to the girl was huge. Sakumo wished he hadn't said it so casually as he knew how mistrusting his student could be.

"No?" He said. Sakumo then shrugged and put on a dramatic air. "Ah well… Guess I'll just have to go to the ramen bar all by myself…"

Just as he began to walk away, right on cue Kushina suddenly yelled, "Wait!"

"Changed your mind?" Sakumo asked innocently as she jogged up to his side.

Kushina shrugged and muttered, "Bet it won't be as good as Whirlpool ramen."

Sakumo simply smiled.

Half an hour later at the newly opened ramen bar, Ichiraku's, the smile had faded and all Sakumo could do was stare at his student in pure incredulity.

How? How was it possible for so much ramen to fit into such a small girl? Sure she was an orphan who couldn't afford a lot of food but this was just plain ridiculous. Kushina had managed to eat more than a starving teenage boy. She had hoovered up the noodles and inhaled her soup.

Money had never been much of a problem to Sakumo due to the amount he had racked up on his high level missions. Yet he severely doubted that he could afford to take Kushina out to lunch everyday.

"That… Is impressive," Sakumo said slowly as he stared at the mountain of ramen bowls in front of his student. "I take it you liked it?"

"The noodles were great," Kushina, who was clearly a ramen connoisseur, nodded. "But the seafood could have been more fresh."

"Spoken like a true Whirlpooler," the owner at the counter nodded appreciatively.

After going through the painful process of paying the bill, Sakumo and Kushina left Ichiraku's. He couldn't help but notice that his student hadn't given him so much as a 'thank you' for departing with so much cash.

"Sensei," Kushina suddenly asked him as they walked through the village centre. "Why'd you treat me to lunch?"

From the scowl she was giving him, Sakumo knew he had to be very careful about what he said next. "Because you're an orphan," He said. Seeing her face, he then added quickly, "Not out of sympathy but because I know how terrible the food can be in the orphanage. My friend grew up there."

"Oh…" Kushina fell into a thoughtful silence.

Sakumo couldn't help but muse that friendship was a strange thing. If he had told his eight-year-old self that he would be best friends with the class idiot, Jiraiya, his younger self would have probably laughed at the sheer ridiculousness of the idea. Yet here he was, twelve years later, with said class idiot as his only friend.

Kushina reminded Sakumo a lot of Jiraiya when he had been younger. Both were brash, uncouth and foul mouthed. Yet both were misunderstood orphans who were lost in loneliness.

Sakumo knew that the idea of shrouding yourself in protective isolation always seemed like a good idea. Sometimes the very thought of emotional pain gave you the impulse to run. Other times you would be so choked up on hurt that words would become tangled in your mouth, leaving only the instinct of violence to save you.

Loneliness like that was just another vanity. It was pure cowardice. Sakumo had felt it himself when his team had been killed during a mission. Yet… Jiraiya had saved him, just as Sakumo had saved him when they were children. You were a fool to think that you're better off alone.

Sometimes Sakumo wondered what would happen if he had never untied Jiraiya from that stupid post. He had been training in the Third Training Grounds when he had heard a strange wailing. Out of pure curiosity, Sakumo had followed the noise to find a recently graduated genin who had been tied to a post by his sensei and abandoned by his teammates. His teacher had always scolded him for being so soft-hearted but Sakumo hadn't been able to help himself. The boy had looked so miserable that Sakumo had used a kunai to cut him free. From that day onwards, Jiraiya and Sakumo had been best friends.

"Well I better get going," Sakumo said as he snapped out of his daydream. "Let me know how your training session with Mikoto goes."

Kushina nodded and Sakumo turned, walking away.

Suddenly, just as he was about to body flicker away, Kushina called, "Hey Sensei!"

Sakumo stopped and glanced over his shoulder to be met by a beautiful smile.

"Thank you!" Kushina smiled and with that she bounded away.

Sakumo shoved his hands into his pockets and his eyes crinkled into a smile. Being dragged away to the police station and spending a month's wages on a food bill… All of it had been worth for just those two words. Maybe he wasn't such a failure as a teacher after all.


End file.
